Help With Flippers

If you could somehow fuse to Churchills together w/ one foot pocket, so it looked like a dolphin tail, I think that would be ideal...there might be fin out there like that...I will look at some point today.

 

You could always go w/ one fin and paddling gloves...might feel weird at first but I bet you'd get used to it.

 

I would think having an ankle fixed in place might cause problems with drag, etc. on the wave too? Maybe not, though. The paddling glove idea is a good one, but if I were in your situation, I might reconsider my choice of surfcraft, and go with something that I could easily arm paddle into waves. Have a look at this link:

http://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/PaulGross/PGross_Interview.shtml

and scroll down to question 6. If you didn't want to go all out at first, I'm sure you could have plenty of fun riding an 8 foot or so soft board prone.

 

Dude, I can't wait to read that paipo article...gonna save that for the afternoon...but good call. That was in the back of my mind too...might not even need that much length if you have say a 48" to 60" paipo but made like a surfboard...kinda like the one Mitchell made..

 

Exactly, and you'd be able to hold on no probs...there was actually a funny thread about them a while back, think they're called 'Dark Fin' or something...I had ones called WEBS as a kid.

 

I have a feeling you will be hauling a$$ and making many barrels.

 

Was the original ankle injury bodyboarding-related?

I like Seldom's idea re: one fin (IMO going bigger isn't really helpful, if you've ever tried to use full-size dive/snorkel fins bodyboarding, well, it's possible but MUCH harder to control) and paddling gloves. Maybe start doing an extra-thick layer of wax on the board so you can do no-hands-on-the-board launches without it flying out from under you.

 

Also that article sbx posted is super interesting, that kind of bellyboard sounds perfect...

 

Dude wasn't it!? I gotta try a surf mat too one of these days...and I want a paipo...

 

Yeah, you totally could go smaller, like mini simmons dimensions and it would be completely arm paddle-able. I was just thinking that if I had an injury like that, I would use it as an excuse to be that crazy guy out in the lineup prone riding a longboard. But that's just me.

 

Austin Surfboards. I don't know who the shaper is, but he makes some great paipos. Very popular with the paipo riders throughout the U.S., here's a link:

http://www.austinsurfboards.com/boards_html/paipo.htm

There was a guy who used to post on SI quite a bit, but I haven't seen anything from him in a while. Very knowledgeable about paipos, mats and all types of wave riding tools. His handle was "Rodnd2ube" or something like that.

A close friend of mine on the west coast is huge into paipos and alternative surf craft. This is his blog:

http://paipopaipo.blogspot.com/?zx=b1f19cb6813ac8bf

 

Nah man that makes total sense...many paths good sir. And that article was awesome.

I think it's definitely worth a shot!